Wherever You Go
by Eleven Eleven
Summary: First song fic from me, result is kinda weird...


A/N. My first ever song fic. Never before written one because previous attempts were horrendous, and so is this one, but amidst what was left of my sanity going up in flames, and my exams fast approaching, I've been feeling even more spontaneous that usual, so I'm just gonna take the risks and put this one up. Plus, I'm thinking Tyler and Caitie have good chemistry at the moment, and I really wanted to write something, anything involving them, no matter how crap it was. But, as you'll see, I don't stray too far away from J/C.  
  
Disclaimer- In A Heartbeat and its characters never did and never will belong to me. However in the process of writing this story, I have acquired a Tudor-style house, a Mercedes-Benz, and a battered MG. Jessica is also mine. The song is by The Calling.  
  
Special thanks to my beta reader, MM, and to my sister, who helped with the story.  
  
Dedicated to someone special: Ross. Thank you.  
  
Wherever You Go  
  
So lately, been wondering  
  
Who will be there to take my place?  
  
When I'm gone, you'll need love  
  
To light the shadows on your face  
  
Jamie Waite, 24, drove down the familiar streets of Kingsport. It had been six years. Six long years since he'd been back here. It was amazing how he'd forgotten so many things about this place. The red brick community hall for instance, which had the crooked fence, the ancient oak tree on the corner of the street where he used to live, one particular house that had been locked up in his memory forever. Jamie slowed down slightly, and peered at the old house. It was funny how he'd forgotten almost everything about the neighbourhood, about this house, yet he'd never managed to forget the girl who once lived here.   
  
If a great wave should fall  
  
It would fall upon us all  
  
Then between the sand the stone  
  
Could you make it on your own?  
  
The dark-haired young man slowly climbed out of his car, and stood at the sidewalk, staring silently at the house. She was most probably gone. Moved far away. He had no way of knowing where she was at that moment in time. After the last time they'd seen each other, they'd lost contact completely. Still, it couldn't hurt...  
  
If I could, then I would  
  
I'll go wherever you will go  
  
Way up high, or down low  
  
I'll go wherever you will go  
  
The knock seemed to echo through the obviously empty house. From years of past experience, Jamie knew better than to try the doorbell. It had been broken for as long as he could remember. The shutters of the house were down, and didn't look as if they'd been up for a very long time. The weeds had overtaken the once orderly front garden, and the white paint was peeling from the door upon which he had knocked. Knowing in his heart of hearts that this was what he had expected anyway, he walked back to his car. She was definitely gone.  
  
And maybe, I'll find out  
  
The way to make it back someday  
  
To watch you, to guide you  
  
Through the darkest of your days  
  
Flashback.  
  
"So, this is goodbye?" Jamie squinted through the rain at the petite brunette who stood before him.  
  
"I guess," Caitie replied, pushing the wet strands of hair back from her face. "I mean, not forever, but um...yeah."  
  
"Yeah," he echoed. He stared into Caitie's hazel eyes for a while, the both of them letting the rain soak into their bodies. "Are you sure...you won't change your mind?"  
  
"Are you sure you won't change yours?" she half-laughed in reply. "Granted it's not the best college in the world, but it's pretty decent, so I hear."  
  
Jamie allowed a grim smile to appear on his lips, before dropping his gaze to the ground. Beside him, a taxi pulled up at the curb and the driver stepped out into the rain.  
  
"Is this it?" he asked, gesturing to Caitie's suitcases, piled at her feet.  
  
"Yeah," she nodded quickly, watching as he picked them up and stowed them into the boot (Trunk?). She looked back at Jamie and stepped forward.  
  
"So..." she murmured softly. "You gonna kiss me goodbye?"  
  
Jamie looked up, but didn't grin back at her. He was still processing her question, when she leaned closer.  
  
"Bye, Jamie," she whispered, as she pressed her lips gently against his. Then, with a small, sad smile, she stepped away from him, and climbed into the taxi.  
  
Jamie watched on as the driver closed the door, and prepared to drive off. And then, the taxi was leaving, carrying his Caitie away. Far, far away from him. There was wetness on his face, and he wasn't sure if it was entirely from the rain or something else.  
  
End flashback.  
  
If a great wave should fall  
  
It would fall upon us all  
  
Well I hope there's someone out there  
  
Who can bring me back to you  
  
Jamie drove aimlessly around the suburbs he had once called home, and wondered what had become of Caitie Roth? He hadn't heard from her since she'd left in that taxi six years ago. He hated to admit it, but he'd been waiting for her to call, all through those six years, or at least contact him someway. And she never had.  
  
A small child caught his gaze as he drove past a large Tudor-style house. She was chasing after a puppy around the front of the house, squealing with delight when she managed to catch a hold of it, and exclaiming loudly when it escaped yet again. There was something about the little girl that made Jamie think he'd seen her before. He slowed his car once again, and observed the child. She was petite, around three or four years old at most, and delicately built, with smooth, pale arms that continually reached for the little dog. Her dark brown hair was pulled back into two buns on her head, a hairstyle he'd seen so many years ago. There was also something familiar about the child's face, her laugh and the way she moved. Almost not knowing what he was doing, Jamie got out of his car and made his way up the path.   
  
If I could, then I would  
  
I'll go wherever you will go  
  
Way up high, or down low  
  
I'll go wherever you will go  
  
The little girl looked up as a tall stranger walked past her father's car, towards her house. Her blue eyes pierced Jamie's own gaze, and he suddenly knew what Caitie would've looked like, had she possessed blue eyes of her own. Something gnawed at Jamie's foot, and he looked down to find the puppy playfully nipping at his shoe. Without thinking, he leant down and scooped up the Labrador into his arms, just as suddenly as the little girl spun around and raced into the house.  
  
"Daddy?!"  
  
Jamie heard her calling out as she disappeared from his vision, and he knew how strange the scene would look when the girl's father came out to see what was going on. However, a woman came to the door instead.  
  
"Can I help you?"  
  
Run away with my heart  
  
Run away with my hope  
  
Run away with my love  
  
Jamie simply stared at her. She didn't seem a day older than eighteen, he first thought, but as he looked closer, he could see the differences between the Caitie he knew back then, and the Caitie he was staring at now. Caitie's gaze was focused on the puppy Jamie held in his arms, and he realized, he should say something, anything.  
  
"Caitie?"  
  
I know now, just quite how  
  
My life and love might still go on  
  
In your heart, and your mind  
  
I'll stay with you, for all of time  
  
His tongue could barely utter the name properly. So many years of waiting and wanting was attached to that name. He watched as her eyes flickered questioningly and travelled back to his face. And then, a surprised gasp escaped her lips.  
  
"Jamie?"  
  
Jamie stared into the large hazel eyes he'd never been able to forget, no matter how hard he'd tried in the past. All the things he'd ever wanted to say to Caitie, since he'd last seen her, were rushing up in his throat, fighting to be released, but he kept his lips closed. For six years, he'd waited for this moment, to see Caitie again. Somehow, he'd reckoned in his mind that seeing her would put everything right, and would make up for everything he hadn't done six years ago. And now that the moment was here, he knew that nothing he said would be adequate and just simply stared wordlessly at her.  
  
?"Caitie?"  
  
A voice from inside the house snapped Jamie back to reality. The voice was absurdly familiar. He knew he'd heard it somewhere in his lifetime.  
  
"Caitie, what's going on?"  
  
A tall man appeared at the door beside Caitie, holding the little girl in his arms. His blue eyes matched that of the child's and Jamie could now see that the girl had also inherited her father's nose.  
  
If I could, then I would  
  
I'll go wherever you will go  
  
Way up high, or down low  
  
I'll go wherever you will go  
  
"Um...this is my husband-" Caitie looked between Jamie and the father of her daughter quickly.  
  
"Yeah," Jamie cut in, extending one hand. "Nice to see you again, Tyler."  
  
Tyler blinked in surprise.  
  
"Jamie?" he asked, before shaking Jamie's hand.  
  
"And this is our daughter, Jessica," Caitie indicated to the little girl Tyler was holding.  
  
Jamie stared at the family blankly, and then looked past them at the comfortable and spacious house that was their home. He cast a quick look behind him and took in the immaculate lawn and the Mercedes Benz he had passed in the driveway and not noticed before. Then he caught a glance at his own car, the old and battered MG his brother had passed on to him.  
  
Turning back to the confused gazes of the Connells, he smiled slightly, a smile filled with realization. Realization that he'd lost a chance at something he'd wanted for so long. Shaking his head at his own foolishness, he deposited the puppy into Caitie's arms and with one last look at the Caitie who would never be his, he walked back down the path that led to his car, and ultimately, his life. The life that didn't and would never fit in with all this.  
  
"Jamie?"  
  
Caitie's call almost made him turn back. Almost. But he'd seen it all. She was gone. And there was nothing he could do. Without a moments hesitation, he drove off, not once looking back at what he could've had.  
  
If I could turn back time  
  
I'll go wherever you will go  
  
If I could make you mine  
  
I'll go wherever you will go  
  
Caitie stared after the car, unaware of her husband and daughter beside her.  
  
"Jamie..." she whispered as he disappeared out of sight, while inside her, she continued to scream out for the one guy she never fell out of love with.  
  
I'll go wherever you will go  
  
A/N. It's an extremely weird, weird story, I know. And if you thought I had any shred of sanity left within me, you are very wrong. The story ends here. At least, I think it does. I can't be sure, but I'm gonna be safe and say it ends right here.  
  
Please don't flame me if you didn't like it. I'm not forcing anyone to read it. The only person I forced to read it was MM, and she's not complaining...yet. LOL 


End file.
